I eagerly anticipate the arrival of the Freewrite Alpha, an innovative, distraction-free writing device. This new gadget, offering portability superior to the Freewrite Smart Typewriter, yet a larger size than the Freewrite Traveler, is equipped with a full-size keyboard and an LCD screen. While all three devices are designed to be portable, the size and weight of each indeed play a crucial role in their practicality for travel.
Last year, I made the decision to back the Freewrite Alpha on Indiegogo, a platform used by Astrohaus to gather support for their latest project. As a satisfied customer of their previous device, I felt confident in investing in the Alpha, particularly with the consideration that my Smart Typewriter might soon need to be retired. The fact that my Smart Typewriter is a first-generation model means it lacks the ability to receive newer firmware updates for enhanced features, a limitation the Freewrite Alpha does not share.
Another concern with my Smart Typewriter is the potential for the battery to fail in the near future. Considering it has already served me well for six years, this wouldn't be surprising. Although battery replacement is theoretically possible, I wouldn't rely on this as a guaranteed solution.
When it comes to their intended function, the Freewrite devices excel at facilitating the creation of first drafts. For many writers new to the Freewrite system, the most significant hurdle is transferring their work to their preferred editor. Fortunately, this is easily resolved through a straightforward copy-paste process or by downloading a plaintext file from the cloud. With continuous cloud backup provided while the device is connected to WiFi, your work remains safe and secure.
The Freewrite devices, including the upcoming Alpha, are designed with one primary purpose in mind: to foster an environment of distraction-free writing. They achieve this by eliminating the standard features of most digital devices that often pull us away from our work, such as notifications, pop-ups, and the ever-tempting internet browser.
When I sit down to write on my Freewrite, I know that it's just me, the keyboard, and my thoughts. There's no email to check, no social media updates to distract me, and no YouTube videos to pull me away from my task. It's a pure, unadulterated writing experience, and it's something I've come to truly appreciate.
The Freewrite's simplicity also removes the temptation to edit as I write. Without the ability to endlessly tweak and adjust my work, I can focus on getting my ideas down, knowing that I can return to refine it later.
Image is my own from https://shainemata.com/my-experience-with-the-freewrite-smart-typewriter
